Sen. Boxer: Military messed up with Santa Cruz cop killer

Jeremy Goulet received a less than honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 2007 in exchange for the military dropping two rape charges against him.

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Jeremy Goulet received a less than honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 2007 in exchange for the military dropping two rape charges against him.

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer was questioned Wednesday whether the military erred when it dropped rape charges and discharged a soldier who shot and killed two Santa Cruz police detectives.

During the first Senate hearing on sexual assaults in the military in nearly a decade, Boxer cited gunman Jeremy Goulet, 35, of Santa Cruz, as an example of what can go wrong when military cases are dropped.

"What is it going to take to convince the military that sexual assault is a violent and vicious crime and that those who perpetuate it, they're capable of other violent crimes, including murder," Boxer said at the hearing in Washington, D.C.

Goulet, who died in a shootout with Santa Cruz police on Feb. 26, was a helicopter pilot in Hawaii in 2006 when the Army court-martialed him on charges of raping two women.

"This unit commander has such enormous power," she said. "This is a person who is not trained in law, and yet has the role of being a judge, making the decision if a case will move forward, who is going to serve time or walk away."

Meanwhile, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the military should release records from the rape case involving Goulet and explain why the charges were dropped.

Det. Loran "Butch" Baker and Det. Elizabeth Butler went to Goulet's house last month to question him about allegations that he had been sexually inappropriate with a former co-worker. While the detectives shouted through his front door, Goulet sneaked out the back and ambushed them.

After his death, investigators found Goulet had ducked a string of sexual assault charges, both in and out of the military.

During a memorial for the detectives last week, Panetta surprised the thousands of people in attendance, saying the military needs to be more accountable.

"We do know that he had a history of sexual violence both in and out of the military, and for whatever reason, people somehow always look the other way," Panetta said. "At some point, somebody pays a price."